Air-moistening device for internal-combustion engines



Aug. 5, 1924. 1,504,018

R. J. BERARD AIR MOISTENING DEVICE FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed March 25. 1921 InvenTor. Remi J. Berard b m QM'JAQ W Aflys Patented Aug. 5, 1924.

TES

BEIVII J. BEBARD, 0F WOONSOCKET, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR TO REMY AUTO MISER COMPANY, OF WOONSOCKET, RHODE ISLAND, A GOEEORATION 0F RHODE ISLAND.

AIR-MOISTENING DEVICE FOR INTERNAL-(JQMBUSTION ENGINES.

Application filed March 25, 1921.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, REMI J. BERARD, a citizen of the United States, and resident of lVoonsocket, county of Providence, State of Rhode Island, have invented an Improve-.

ment in Air-Moistening Devices for Internal-Combustion Engines,- of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawing, is a specification, like characters on the drawing representing like parts.

This invention relates to improvements in air moistening devices for internal cornhustion engines and one of the objects of the invention is to provide a novel air moistening device which may be readily attached to various different types of engines. This preferably is accomplished by providing the main body of the air moistening device with a plurality of differently located apertures having screw threaded walls by means of which the air moistening device may be attached by a nipple or nipples communicating with any of the apertures to the intake or manifold of the engine.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel form of heating mechanism for raising the temperature of the water supply to the air moistening device.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for regulating the amount of water supplied to the heating unit.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the character described with manually operable means for correlating the amount of water and air supplied by the moistening device to the intake of the engine.

Other objects and features of the invention will more fully appear from the following description and the accompanying drawings and will be particularly pointed out in the claims.

A preferred embodiment of my invention is illustrated herein as applied to a usual type of internal combustion engine used as a motor for an automobile, but it will be understood that the invention may be used in connection with any type of internal combustion engine to which it may be applicable.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a portion of an internal combustion engine of an automobile showing my invention applied thereto;

Serial No. 455,426.

leading from the heating means to the moistening means being shown in elevation andbroken apart;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged detail view, mainly in longitudinal section, on line 33 of Fig. 2, of the connection leading from the air moistening device to the intake of the engine;

Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view showing the mechanism for simultaneously controlling the water and air valves of the air moistening device.

The present invention embodies certain improvements on the invention disclosed in my prior patent, No. 1,464,899, Aug. 14, 1923, which relates to improvements in air moistening devices for internal combustion engines and the general structure of the air moistening device is quite similar thereto.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings as applied to an automobile engine 1 of the usual type provided with inders of the engine. It also is provided with an exhaust which is in the form of a manifold t through which the products of combustion from the various cylinders are discharged.

The air moistening device is illustrated herein as applied to the intake manifold 2 of the engine and comprises a delivery head having a body 5 which desirably may be in the form of a hollow casting which provides a vaporizing chamber 6 for the air and water which is drawn through it by the suction of the engine. The body 5 is provided with a tubular extension 7 in which is'fitted a cylindrical valve 8 having a closed outer end, but provided with a series of ports 9 which are adapted to be exposed or covered as the valve 8 is adjusted within said tubular extension.

A water inlet member 10 is secured to the body 5 by a screw threaded connection and is provided at its lower end with a relatively large duct 11 leading to the vaporizing these valves.

ably passes through a duct in the upper portion of said member to a valve 13 which controls the amount of water supplied to the vaporizing chamber.

Means are provided for correlating the amount of water and air supplied to the vaporizing chamber of the delivery head. In the present invention this is accomplished by providing means connecting the water valve with the air inlet valve above described in such a manner that the adjustment of one of said valves will simultaneously cause adjustment of the other. In the preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated herein the valve 13 is provided with a downwardly extending arm 14 which is connected by a link 15 to a stud 16 projecting from the end portion of the tubular valve 8. By reason of this construction the longitudinal reciprocation of the tubular air valve will cause rotation of the water controlling valve 13 and cause a simultaneous adjustment of The ports 9 of the air valve are so positioned that the adjustment of the air valve 8 will deliver to the vaporizing chamber the requisite amount of air to be mixed with the water which is supplied through the regulating valve 13.

Any suitable means may be provided for adjusting the air controlling valve 8. As illustrated herein this is accomplished by connecting to the closed end of the tubular valve 8 a stiff tempered wire 17 which is enclosed within a spiral casing 18 and extends through the instrument board 19 of the automobile to an operating handle 20. .By pushing or pulling upon the operating handle 20, therefore, the tubular air valve 8 may be adjusted and the water valve 13 simultaneously actuated through the link 15 and arm 14 which connect the tubular air valve to the water valve.

The construction thus described is and may be similar to that disclosed in my prior application.

In order to adapt the present invention to different types of automobiles the casing 5 is provided with a plurality of apertures by means of which the vaporizing means may be secured to the intake of the engine-from either side or the end. Thus the device may be attached either to the right or left side of the engine, or by using the end connection to the intake of a V-shaped type of motor which is so situated that lateral connection between the vaporizer and intake would be difficult.

In the present construction diametrical 1y oppositely disposed apertures 21 and 22 are provided in the casing and the walls of said apertures are screw threaded. One of these apertures may be connected by a nipple or nipples to the intake of the engine and the other aperture sealed by a screw threaded plug 23 having an angular head which can be conveniently actuated by a wrench. The end of the casing 5 likewise is provided with an aperture 2 1 preferably of the same diameter as the apertures 21 and 22 which also may be sealed with a screw threaded plug 25. The nipple leading to the intake of the engine may likewise be connected to the end of the casing upon removal of the plug 25, said plug being thereupon used to close the other of said diametrically opposite apertures.

A further feature of the invention consists in providing a special mechanism for insuring complete atomization or vaporization of the water passing into the intake of the engine from the air moistening device.

As illustrated herein a special nipple 2,6 is provided which has a closed end provided with a series of perforations 27. This end of the nipple is screwed into one'of the apertures in the body of the air moistening device. The other end of the nipple preferably is provided with an external tapered screw threaded portion which is engaged by the internal screw threads in the wall of a nipple 28, the opposite end of which is screwed into the manifold 2 of the engine.

The nipple 28 is provided with an internal shoulder 29, adapted, with the end of the nipple 26, to clamp the perforated disk or screen 30 therebetween. 1n the operation of the device the suction ofthe engine upon the intake strokes of the cylinder produces a partial vacuum in the chamber 6 of the air moistening device which causes air to flow in through the ports 9 of the air intake valve and water to be drawn through the valve 13 of the water supply.

As before stated, these valves may be adjusted simultaneously to correlate the amount of water and air supplied to the vaporizing chamber. The water, therefore, which is delivered to the vaporizing chamber encounters the air which is drawn in through the ports 9 of the tubular valve 8 so that the greater portion of the water is vaporized in the vaporizing chamber 6. The contents of the vaporizing chamber is, of course, drawn by the suction of the engine through the perforations 27 in the end of the, nipple 26 and thence through the screen or perforated disk 30 into the manifold of the engine. In passing through these perforations ol. screens any small globules of water which may remain are broken up so that a very fine inist or vapor is delivered to the manifold of the engine where it mixes with the vaporized fuel and is carried into the engine cylinders. By regulating the amount of moisture thus introduced with the fuel the efiiciency of the engine may be greatly increased,

A further object of the invention is to provide means for facilitating the vaporiza tion of the water supplied through the air moistening device by raising the temperature of the water supplied to the air moistening device to a temperature approx} mating the vaporizing temperature of water.

This is accomplished by providing a heating device which preferably is located be tween the water supply tank and the vaporizer.

One of the principal objects of the present invention is to provide a novel and convenient heating device which can be readily applied to the heat radiating surface of an engine or a part thereof such as the exhaust manifold.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention disclosed the heating device comprises a conduit or receptacle 31 which de sirably has one of its outer walls 32 flat, or so constructed as to lie closely against a heat radiating wall. In the construction illustrated herein the heating member is rectangular in cross section so that either side of it may be conveniently placed in contact with a heat radiating surface. The heating device may be secured to the heat radiating surface by usual straps 33 or other suitable fastening.

The heating device desirably has a relatively large chamber 34 which, as illustrated in Fig. 2, desirably is made in the form of a cylinder. The outlet end of the chamber 2% is connected by a screw threaded connection 35 to the conduit 12 leading to the water supply member 10 of the vaporizer. The opposite end of the chamber preferably comprises a transverse wall36 having a relatively small central aperture 37 provided with a countersunk portion 38 which is engaged by a valve 39 in the nature of a needle valve. The aperture 37 communicates with a chamber 40 in the end wall 41 of which the threaded stem 42 of the valve 39 is adjustably mounted. A nipple 43, having a screw threaded end connected to the walls of the chamber 40, is connected at its opposite end to the lower end of a pipe or conduit 44 leading to the water supplying. tank 45 which may be carried upon the instrument board 19 of the automobile.

In the operation of the device the suction of the engine, which creates a partial vacuum in the vaporizing chamber 6 of the air moistening device, serves also to pro duce a partial vacuum in the chamber 34 of the heating device, thus causing the water to be delivered from the tank into the heating device and from it to the vaporizing device in an amount which is determined by the manual regulation of the valve 13. By regulating the valve 38 the amount of water which is delivered to the heating chamber 34: may be controlled so that, while a suflicient supply of water may be delivered to the air moistening device, the amount passing through the heating chamber 34 will be so controlled that an excessive amount of water cannot be delivered to the air moistening device. Furthermore, such regulation will retain a sufficient, amount of water in the heating chamber to enable its temperature to be raised to a point approximating the vaporizing temperature of water. Thus when the water is delivered to the vaporizing chamber it is more quickly and thoroughly vaporized.

It will be observed that the present construction may be readily adapted for use in connection with any usual type of internal combustion engine, whether automobile engines or other types.

It will be understood that the embodiment of the invention disclosed herein is of an illustrative character and is not restrictive and that various changes may be made in'construction and arrangement of parts within the meaning and scope of the following claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. An air moistening device for internal combustion engines comprising a water supply, a conduit leading therefrom, a heat-ing device, adapted to rest upon a heat radiating portion of the engine having a relatively large heating chamber connected with said conduit, a delivery head communicating with said heating device and with the intake of the engine, an air inlet leading to said delivery head and simultaneously operable means for regulating the amount of air and water supplied to said delivery head.

2. An air moistening device for internal combustion engines comprising a water supply, a conduit leading therefrom, a heating device adapted to rest upon a heat radiating surface of the engine having thick l1eatabsorbing walls and provided with a relatively large chamber communicating with said conduit, a delivery head communicating with said heating device and with the intake of the engine, an air inlet leading to said delivery head and valves simultaneously operable to control the amount of water and air admitted to said delivery head.

3. An air moistening device for internal combustion engines comprising a water supply, a conduit leading therefrom, a heating device having a flat surface adapted to rest upon the heat radiating portion of the engine communicating with said conduit, a valve operable to regulate the amount of water delivered to said heating device, a delivery head communicating with said heating device and with the intake of the engine, an air inlet in said delivery head and valves in said delivery head simultaneously operable to control the amount of air and water supplied to said delivery head.

4. An air moistening device for internal an internal combustion engine, an air inletv and a Water inlet leading from said heating device to said vaporizing chamber and means for simultaneously regulating the supply of air and Water to said chamber.

5. An air moistening device for internal combustion engines comprising a Water supply, a conduit leading therefrom, a heating device having a flat surface adapted to rest 11130118, heat radiating portion of the engine, a delivery head having a vaporizing chamber, oppositely disposed apertures having screw threaded walls in the sides of said head leading to said chamber adapted to receive nipples to connect the same With the air intake of the engine, a Water inlet leadingv from said heating device to said vaporizing chamber, an air inlet leading to said vaporizing chamber and valves in said Water and air inlets operable simultaneously to regulate the supply of air and Water to said chamber.

6. An air moistening device for internal combustion engines comprising a Water supply, the conduit leading therefrom, a heating device having a flat surface adapted to rest upon a heat radiating portion of the engine, a delivery head having a vaporizing chamber, oppositely disposed apertures having screw threaded Walls in the side and end of said delivery head adapted to receive nipples leading to the intake of the engine, a Water inlet leading from said heating device to said vaporizing chamber, an air inlet leading to said vaporizing. chamber and valves in said Water and 'air inlets operable simultaneously to regulate the supply of air and Water to said chamber.

7. An air moistening device for internal combustion engines comprising a delivery head having a vaporizing chamber, means for supplying \vaterand air to said chamher, a nipple leading from said chamber having its, end adjacent said chamber provided With a plurality of relatively small apertures, a second nipple connected to said nipple, a screen interposed between said nipples and means for attaching said second nipple to the intake of the engine.

8; An air moistening device forinternal combustion engines comprising a delivery head having a vaporizing chamber, an air inlet communicating with said vaporizing chamber, a Water inlet in angular relation to said air inlet, oppositely disposed apertures having screw threaded Walls in said delivery head extending in adirection normal to said Water and air inlets, a'nipple adapted to fit either of said apertures for connecting said head to the intake of the engine whereby said delivery head may be secured from either side to the intake by said nipple and means for closing the other aperture,

9. An air moistening device for internal combustion engines comprising a delivery head having a vaporizing chamber, an'air inlet communicating With 'saidvaporizing chamber, a Water inlet in angular relation to said air inlet, oppositely disposed apertures having screw threaded Walls in said delivery head extending in a direction normal to said Water and air inlets, a nipple adapted to fit either of said apertures for connecting said head to the intake of the engine whereby 'said' delivery head may be secured from either side to the intake by said nipple, means for closing the other aperture, and means simultaneously operable to regulate the amount of Water and air admitted to said vaporizing chamber.

10. An air moistening device for internal combustion engines comprising a Water supply, a conduit, a heating device adapted to rest upon a heat radiating portion of the engine having an inlet chamber and a heating chamber, a relatively small aperture leading from one chamber to the other, a valve operable to regulate the amount of Water passing through said aperture and a delivery head communicating with said heating chamber and With the intake of the engine, means forv supplying air to said delivery head and means for simultaneously regulating the amount of air andWater supplied to said delivery head. y

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name "to this specification.

REMI J. BERARD. 

